Search
An association of writers working to advance literature, defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship. Manhattanville MAW Summers Writers Week Online
Pen Blogs
Recent Posts
PEN Blogroll
Browse by Subject
View by Post Title
World Voices Blogs
PEN Member Profiles
FAQ
Sign In
spacer
Newsletter

Home > View by Blog Post Title

 Back to blog

 John Ashcroft's bones (poem)

Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:53PM
 
Baghdad Redux?
Posted By: Jayne Lyn Stahl

 
 
 



Nearly 70% of Americans agree with the new administration's decision to add another 17,000 troops in Afghanistan, according to today's Washington Post, bringing the additional number of U.S. forces in that country to 47,000 on Obama's watch.

While an almost equal number of Americans, 60%, said that we lost more than we gained by the occupation, and plunder, of Iraq, an astonishing 44% still think that Iraq is an integral part of the so-called war on terrorism. And, many also expect greater success to follow a "surge" in Afghanistan as they think it has in Iraq.

Most of all, one wonders if Kabul will be the next Baghdad with Karachi following close behind? Will the role of the U.S., in this millenium, be that of an empire that profiteers off promoting global instability?

It's hard not to think back to Korea and Vietnam, only substitute Iraq for Korea and Afghanistan for Vietnam. One also can't help but think of LBJ who followed in the footsteps of a president, JFK, who had designs, and a plan, to end the war, and how LBJ multiplied American presence, and casualties, exponentially, in the name of ending the Communist (read "terrorist") reign in Southeast Asia.

We'd like to think President Obama will sidestep the roadside bomb, and military quagmire, of Afghanistan, but war being the racket that it is, one can't help but wonder if that is possible.

This lust for power, in the final analysis, may be all that remains of the human race.
 
0 Comments | Add a Comment
 
 
Post a Comment:
(You may enter up to 1024 characters.)

characters left
Name: 
Please retype this code to post your comment.
Letters are case sensitive.
 
Home | Site Map | Copyright / Privacy Policy | Contact Us © 2004-2012 PEN American Center. All rights reserved.